Grouping and arranging mechanism for packet assembling machines



April 2s, 1942 w. c. NlcoDEMUs 2,281,066

GROUPING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM FOR PACKET A SSEMBLING MACHINES Filed March 11, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 28, 1942 v `w. c. NlcoDEMus 2,281,006

GROUPING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM FOR PACKET ASSEMBLING MACHINES Filed March 11, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 2s, 1942, w. c. Nimm-:MUS- 2,281,006

GROUPING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM FOR PACKET ASSEMBLING MAC-HINES Filed March ll, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet v April 28, 1942- w. c. NlcoDEMus 2,281,006

GROUPING AND ARRANGIING MEGHANISM FOR PACKET ASSEMBLING MACHINES' Filed March 11, 1941 5 sheets-sheet 4 'April 28, 1942, w. c. NlcoDEMus -2,281,006

GROUPING AND ARRANGING MECHANISM FOR PCKET ASSEMBLING MACHINES Filed March ll. 1941 y 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. Z8, 1942 GROUPING AND ARRANGING IVIECHANISM FOR PACKET ASSEMBLING MACHINES Wilmer C. Nicodemus, Barberton, Ohio, assignor to The Diamond Match Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Y Application March 1l, 1941, Serial No. 382,721

(Cl.` 13S- 33) Z Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide mechanism `of simple and eicient construction and operation, for selecting groups of articles as they are delivered by an assembling machine and for arranging the successive groups in compact rows for convenience of packing in suitable containers.`

The mechanism is designed more especially for usein connection with the conveyor of a machine for combining dissimilar articles, such, for example, as an advertising match packet and another packet containing a sample or samples of the advertised product.

Myinvention comprises featurescf eonstruction and combinationsA oi partswhich, in the form illustrated,I will be hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being expressed in the ap pended claims.

In the drawings- `Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved selecting and arranging mechanism at the delivery end of a packet assembling machine, only so much of the latter being shown` as is necessary to illustrate the invention.

Fig. 2` is a plan of said mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section in a plane adjacent the drive sprockets of the assembling machine, showing the feed chain for advancing the packages row by row from the conveyer of the assembling machine and along the supporting bed.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section in a plane through said bed, as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5, 5 and '1 are vertical sections through the table at the delivery end of the bed, as on the lines 5,--5, -E and 1-1, respectively, of Fig. 2, showing the package arranging devices including their co-operating plungers for acting upon each succeeding row of packages presented thereto by the feed `chain and positioning the row on the table, said plungers being shown in their successive `relative positions.

Fig. 8.is a generalperspective View `of the package arranging mechanism, including a portion of the feed chain and the table.

Figs. 9` to `i3, inclusive, are vertical sections through a channeled base structure into which the packages ci each row are transferred from the table and thereby arranged vertically `face to face, the dual packages of a row being `represented `in the successive positions that they are caused to assume by the movements of the plungers in relation to the channels of saidstructure.

Referring to the drawings,` te designates va skeleton supporting frame: adjacent the delivery portion of the conveyor 38 of the packet asscmf Vis driven from a suitable source of power.

bling machine,` which conveyor` has thereon a succession of blocks 41 constituting holders for dual packets. Each packet consists of, say,` a conventional match book (M) `imposed on a sample packet (P) of another product.

The delivery portion of the conveyor is trained about sprocket wheels 31 faston a shaft 2B which As each succeeding dual package passes across the top of the sprocket wheel 31 the package advances upon an elongated bed 93 in the same horizontal plane, or substantially so, as the bottoms of the combined packets, the adjacent end portion 94 of the bed thus serving as a stripper to remove the package from the conveyor. When a determined number of packages, say six, have been moved, side by side along` the bed, the trailing package of the row is in the descending path of one of the spaced angular lugs 95 of` an intermittently movable feed chainS, which lug in its travel impels the row of packages along the bed 53 with the hooks in close lateral contact, as seenin Fig. 3'. A succession of two or more spaced rows of packages are caused to progress along the bed by the action of the successive lugs on the respective rows, and as the leading row reaches the end of l the bed the contiguous lug is raised above the `path of the packages, thus releasing the leading row. (See Fig. 9.) As shown the chain 9S is trained about suitable sprocket wheels 91 and 98 at the respective ends of the bed 93. The single wheel 91 is fast on a transverse shaft 99 having its bearings in an upstanding bracket lili] located `at the receiving end of the bed, and the two smaller wheels 9S, arranged one above the other, are located at the delivery end of the bed, the

\ latter wheels being loose on stud shafts IDI fixed in clamp brackets |62 mounted on a post |03 rising from the main frame. The wheel 91 and the lower wheel 98 are so mounted in relation to the bed that the lower run of the chain sags somewhat in order to permit each succeeding lug as it passes downward at the wheel 31 to move into engaging relation with the opposing packet,

and then to cause the lug to rise above the packet aslthe chain passes to and around the lower wheel 98.

The'shaft 99 of the wheel 91 is actuated by suitable means to advance the feed chain intermttently, each step as well vas the spacing of the lugs being slightly greater in length than that of the determined row of packages. The means herein illustrated for this purpose comprises a ratchet Wheel |84 and acrank disc H15 respectively fast and loose on the shaft S9, The disc,y

which carries a pivoted pawl |08 in co-operating relation to the ratchet wheel, is pivotally connected by a rod |01 with a crank |08 on a lower transverse shaft |09 having its bearings |I0 attached to the adjacent standards of the supporting frame. Hence when the shaft |09 is continuously driven intermittent motion is trans- 'mitted through the agency of the pawl and mesh with the sprocket wheel |I| by means of a guide roll I I1 suitably mounted on the upper end Aof an arm II8 which is pivotally supported in a clamp member I9 on the main frame. By proper manipulation of the clamp member the arm II8 with its roll ||1 can be readily released, `adjusted in eflicient relation to the chain and clamped in place. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

The feed chain advances each succeeding row of dual packages from the receiving to the delivery end of the bed, which bed 93 is provided with side walls I by and between which the packages are guided in their travel. The walls terminate short of the bed, thus providing a table |2| to whichthe row of packages is delivered. The chain 96, which runs medially of the bed, is equipped at intervals with spaced cross-strips I 22 which ride on parallel rails |23 on the side walls of the bed. Thereby the sagging of the lower run of the feed chainv upon the covers of the match books of the underlying packages is prevented, thus obviating the otherwise liability of marring the surfaces of the covers. `3, 4 and 8.)

Supported at the delivery end of the feed bed (See Figs.

93 is mechanism of simple and eiiicient construction to the action of which each succeeding row of dual packages is presented, and the packages are arranged vertically and in face to face relation for convenience of packing in conventional cartons.

The package arranging mechanism in the form illustrated comprises two flat plungers |24 and I 25, one above the other, mounted for independent horizontal reciprocation in parallel paths at right angles to the row of packages on the table The lower plunger |24 is slotted at its rearward end to afford a series of equally spaced comblike projections |26 and it is also slidably `mounted between a forward extension |21 of the table |2| and a base plate I 28 which is supported upon the frame structure and extends some distance rearwardly of the table, as at |29. The table and its extension are lfastened to side bars 230 at the respective sides of the base plate, (See Fig. 8.) The upper plunger rests upon the extension |21 of the table |2I and is slidably fitted in angular side guides |30 and I 3 I, the latter guide terminating short of the rear edge of the table, so as to permit the passage of the packages to and upon the table, and the guide |30 extending across the table to afford a stop for the leading package thereon. The lextension |29 of the base plate is provided throughout the length of its upper face with a series of equally spaced partitions |32 arranged to afford a series of channels converging toward the rear of the extension, as seen in Figs. 2 and 8. The channels are of equal width corresponding in number and relation with the plunger projection |26, it being noted that the width of each channel somewhat exceeds the combined thickness of two dual packages disposed face to face, as best seen in Figs. 9 and 12.

The rearward ends of the respective plungers |24 and |25 are pivotally connected by means of links |33 to the upper ends of two vertical rock levers |34 and 234 which are loosely mounted at their lower ends on a stationary shaft |35 supported by the main frame. Each lever is equipped Yintermediate its ends with a lateral roll 235 which, by means of a suitable spring |36 secured at its respective ends to the lever and the supporting frame, is yieldingly held in contact with one of a pair of cams |31 that are fast on shafts |38 and 230, respectively, journaled in bearings |39 on the main frame. The two cam shafts |38 and 238, which extend adjacent the transverse driven shaft |I5 previously referred to, are provided with bevel gears I40 in mesh with similar gears |4I fast on the shaft II5. (See Figs. 1, 2 and 8.) The gearing is such as to rotate the shafts |30 and 238 in opposite directions and in timed relation to the feed chain 96, and the relative contours and settings of the cams |31 are such that the levers |34 and 234 are rocked at intervals in a manner to reciprocate the plungers |24 and |25 in timed relation to each other. That is to say, when the lower plunger |24 is at the end of its forward or elfective stroke with the slotted end of the plunger projecting beyond the rearward edge of the table |2I and entered in the adjacent ends of the channels on the bed plate, as seen in Figs. 5 and 8, the upper plunger |25 is at the end of its rearward or idle stroke with its forward end withdrawn from such edge to permit the passage of a row of packages to and upon the table I2 I. Thereupon, the upper plunger |25 is moved forward, while the lower plunger |24 remains idle. The plunger |25 in its forward stroke, while the plunger |24 is still at rest, abuts the opposing ends of the packages and pushes the row from the table I2 I, as seen in Fig. 6, thus setting them with their major longitudinally extending portions resting upon the projections |26 of the lower plunger and with their lesser portions resting upon the proximate wall |32 of the channels. (See Fig. 10.) Thereupon, the upper plunger is moved rearward, and as it reaches the limit of the stroke the lower plunger is retracted, as seen in Fig. 5, so as to pull its projections |26 under the rearward edge of the table |2|, thus withdrawing them from the row of packages partially supported by the projections. Consequently, since each consecutive pair of packages extend well over the underlying channel, the unsupported abutting sides of the packages gravitate into the channel, thus arranging the packages in vertical position, face to face, as seen in Figs. 12 and 13. This completes the operating cycle of the two plungers. In the next operation, as the lower plunger |24 moves forward to support the next succeeding row of packages, the preceding row seated in the channels is advanced along the channels by the end projections |26 of the plunger. Hence as each succeeding row of vertically disposed dual packages progresses toward the rear of the channels the packages are gradually brought nearer together by their sliding contact with the opposing converging walls of the channels, as seen in Fig.

13, and, therefore, the packages of each row when they are nally discharged are in close lateral relation and in convenient position for packing in cartons, one of which is `indicated indotted lines in Fig. 8.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular exemplifying form thereof herein disclosed, as the mechanism may be modiiied within the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a support for a row of packages, means for successively advancing rows of packages upon said support, a rearwardly extending iioor element below vsaid support provided With a series of channels in angular relation to the path of delivery of said rows of packages, means including a movable element for end- Wise pushing the packages of each succeeding row from said support and positioning each package with one of its longitudinal marginal portions resting on the wall of a channel, means including an element movable in respect to said channels to support temporarily the adjacent edges of the respective pairs of packages, and means for actuating the said movable elements in timed relation, whereby when the second named elementis moved in one direction the packages,

unbalanced, overhang the adjacent channels, thus gravitating in pairs into the respective channels.

2. The combination with the conveyer of a packet assembling machine, said conveyer including a succession of holders for plural packets, and means for removing said packets from the conveyer and advancing them in succeeding rows,`a support to and upon which the rows progress, a rearwardly extending floor element below said support provided with spaced longitudinal walls providing a series of channels in angular relation to the path of delivery of said rows of packets, upper and lower plungers mounted respectively for relative reciprocation upon and under said support, the upper plunger constructed to push said succeeding row from the support and over the said channels, andthe lower plunger having comb-like projections movable into and from the said channels to support temporarily the adjacent edges of the respective pairs of packets, and means for reciprocating said plungers in timed relation, whereby when the lower plunger is withdrawn from the channels the packets, unbalanced, overhang the adjacent channels, thus gravitating in pairs into the respective channels.

WILMER C. NICODEMUS. 

